


The Raven

by Sistermine



Series: Escape to the Country [2]
Category: Eagle - Fandom
Genre: M/M, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-09
Updated: 2012-04-09
Packaged: 2017-11-03 08:17:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/379269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sistermine/pseuds/Sistermine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If Esca's on his doorstep, he probably can't escape the conversation any longer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Raven

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Follow on to The Rook, which was written in response to the photo of a Raven in LJ's Ninth Eagle Challenge in autumn 2011.
> 
> Many thanks to Winterstorrm for the beta. Don't know how she finds the time!
> 
> Disclaimer: Fair use of characters only, no profit made. No offense intended.

  


The boy silhouetted by the dusk on his doorstep is bedraggled and weary-looking. On second glance he's wet, even though it hasn't been raining for a couple of hours now. It can only be Esca, but for a moment he doesn't recognise him; with his hair plastered to his head he's darker looking.

Marcus blinks. He shouldn't have had the whisky whilst reading Wuthering Heights. Do guilty pleasures, like bad things, come in threes? 

He shuffles aside, opening the door wider, and Esca follows him into the kitchen, dropping the small rucksack in the hall.

“You're wet.” Marcus can't quite engage his brain, which seems to have conjured Heathcliff out of the gloom.

Esca grows a couple of inches–unfurls–as he stretches and peels off his coat, then his sodden trainers. “I am. Sorry. I would have arrived at a sensible time, but turns out there aren't any buses any more, and absolutely no-one was going to give me a ride.”

“Jesus. Have you walked from the station?”

Esca nods.

“OK. Do you want a shower first or something to eat – I have a freezer full of ready-meals courtesy of Valeria?” 

“Cup of tea would be nice. I bought some food in Carlisle and ate it on the way.” Esca sits, gingerly, pulling wet denim away from his knees. Marcus notices the wet thighs.

He puts the kettle on and reaches for a small hand towel. He considers handing it to Esca and then changes his mind, limping round the table and standing behind Esca's chair; Esca twists round to look at him. He drops the towel on Esca's head and starts to rub gently at his hair, using his thumbs. After a moment he feels Esca relax and let him, leaning back so that his head rests on Marcus's belly.

Marcus lets the towel go and Esca's head emerges; he puts his hands on Esca's collar bones and works his fingers under the t-shirt neckline.

Esca says, “When I set off, it wasn't meant to be the incredible journey.”

Marcus laughs. “I'm glad you made it. I need reinforcements.”

“What do you mean?”

“Cottia is ganging up on me. She's got a rook watching the house. She'll be more scared to act now you're here.”

“You know it's a raven?”

“What?”

“The bird. On your fencepost. It's a raven.”

“Oh. Well, it's still her familiar, I'm sure. It comes when she's not here herself.”

“Have you been reading children's fiction again?” Esca smiles up at him.

“Maybe. I'm doing a course on it next year. Anyway. Why didn't you ring her; it's miles?”

“I … I don't know really.” 

“Stubbornness?” Marcus raises an eyebrow, and then wonders if he shouldn't have kept his mouth shut.

Esca considers for a moment. At least he doesn't glare. “Role confusion. I don't know if I'm hunting you or rescuing you.”

Marcus smiles down at him. “You're the hero either way.”

“Am I?” Esca's eyes are blue. Darkened blue.

Marcus shifts and swallows, and moves his thumbs on Esca's neck, caressing under his ears. “I'm sorry.”

Esca nods a little with his head tipped back and then thumps it harder against Marcus's front. “Tea. You can tell me what you're actually sorry for tomorrow. For now I think I _do_ want something to eat. And then you're going to take me to bed and warm me up.” He reaches up and pulls Marcus down for a brief kiss, and Marcus thinks it's probably going to be OK. 

At least until tomorrow.

*

In the bedroom some shyness settles on him as he puts on the bedside lamp and turns off the main light. He watches Esca begin to peel off his socks and jeans, draping them over the furniture to dry off. Something about that looks temporary, but Marcus stops himself thinking. He's always over-interpreting. And it's too soon to ask. 

He rushes into the shower before Esca and washes himself quickly, spitting mouthfuls of water. He can't stand for long, so dries off sitting on the bed before swinging his leg and still slightly damp body onto the sheet, duvet rolled back. He scoots over to give Esca room; it's been a while since they shared a bed.

Esca comes out of the bathroom already dry, towelling his hair again, body firm but cock soft, rolling as he walks over and hesitates for the first time.

“Come on.” Marcus pats the bed, smiling as Esca kneels on it and moves towards him.

Esca is running his hand slowly, carefully, up the scar. Something about this gentle action makes Marcus melt; apart from his cock that is, which is the pure opposite of melted, rigid and erect. 

_Smelted_ , his literary brain supplies, and he has to suppress a laugh before Esca notices. Lovers don't really like you pursuing your work whilst they're loving you; he may be as dense–and as workaholic–as Esca says, but he _has_ noticed that.

Esca's hand reaches the top of his thigh and moves to his penis, taking hold as he looks up into Marcus's eyes. Marcus bites his lip as Esca rolls him, then leans down, shuffling back to take Marcus in his mouth. 

Marcus remembers the first time this happened: Esca was still technically his student and the memory is brilliant in his head, etched there by adrenaline. Esca had on a blue shirt and grey trousers, and was so fucking gorgeous. Marcus had held out until exams were over–chiefly by dint of never being within ten feet of him. Then he couldn't _not_ invite him to the usual departmental party. He'd taken the precaution of co-hosting the event with another lecturer and tried to stick to her at the end, but Esca was persistent, amused, and unrepentant. “I think it's time I taught _you_ something.” Bloody mature students–always something to prove.

Esca's mouth is as hot now as it was then. Now he knows even more of Marcus's secrets, swinging round over him to face down his body, rough tongue rippling under his cock's widest part. Marcus daren't open his eyes even in the gloom, but he can't stop his hands from smoothing over Esca's body, warm flanks, slightly furry thighs. 

He reaches one arm forwards and strokes up Esca's back towards his neck; the other hand dips round to skim Esca's stomach. Esca's abdominal muscles flutter beneath his hand and Esca pauses for a moment, mutters, “Stop, you're tickling me,” before he kitten-licks, teasing, at the head of Marcus's cock, getting his own back.

Esca's gentle fingers and tongue are playing with him, keeping him poised on an edge. It is a delicious agony, and he has learned to give in and not fight when Esca is in this mood to tease him, string him out. He knows he is paying for something, being shown something, pinned here by Esca's whole body. 

There are worse ways to pay for thought-crimes. 

He starts moaning, louder so that Esca will know what effect he's having. Somehow, the moaning turns him on even more and he's writhing in Esca's hand, feeling the sweet suck of that mouth hold him right there, begging. He can be such a bastard. It's delicious.

When Esca sits back, Marcus feels upended, not sure what's going on. “What are you doing?” he gasps.

Esca turns round on the bed, reaching over and kissing him, deeply. 

“Do you like this?” Esca asks.

Marcus has no idea what's going on. “This?” 

Esca doesn't speak. Marcus ploughs on: “Being with you? Sex with you? Your tongue on me? Yes, I like it. A lot. All of it. You're very good at it.”

“Do you want more?”

“More _what_ Esca? More of your mouth on me? Yes, I really _really_ want more of that. More sex with you? Yes, that would be nice too. More _you_ , here with me? Yes. Yes. I want that.” 

“OK. So why did you run away?” Esca's voice is quiet.

“I thought we were going to have this conversation tomorrow.” Marcus's erection is seriously flagging and he's trying not to get angry.

“I need to know.”

Marcus laboriously turns on his side – it isn't good for his leg, but he feels the need to see Esca's expression properly. Esca holds his eyes. He looks rather lost.

Marcus thinks; this is the moment. All those times he'd backed out before. Now he has to do it.

“Because I thought you were wasting yourself, and I wanted to give you the chance to get away. You're talented, in demand, young and beautiful. The world is your oyster. All that stuff. You don't need to be stuck in some provincial back-water with a talentless hack of a lecturer or shuttling up and down the motorway every weekend, and especially not having to look after someone like me.”

Esca is staring at him, looking furious. He opens his mouth and Marcus butts in.

“And one last thing; I know you're going to say you should get the chance to decide for yourself, but I know you, you have compassion leaking out of you despite your surly demeanour. I won't hold you back. This is your chance Esca. Your chance to be free.”

“OK,” says Esca. He doesn't look as angry any more, just resigned. Is that a good thing? Esca continues, “You're an idiot, but so am I. I thought you had some secret love-nest here or something. Now I see it's just that you have way too much self-pity, and that you're far too self-centred for your own good.”

“What? I'm trying _not_ to be selfish. I'm trying to think of you.”

“Well don't. You know I can take care of myself perfectly well. The rest of what you said is twaddle. I want to be with you,” he pauses. Marcus starts to say something, he isn't even sure what it's going to be yet, but Esca continues, “But only if _you_ want it too. So I'm asking you again: do _you_ want me here?”

Marcus tries to think of an answer that would be true, but would still make Esca go. He can't. He says, “Yes.”

“OK then. We've had the conversation. Now we can go back to having the sex.” He leans forwards towards Marcus's lips.

“On one condition,” says Marcus.

“What?” Esca asks, warily.

“I need to lie on my back,” Marcus grins.

“OK,” Esca smiles at him, pushing at his shoulder and rolling them over. He looks down at Marcus. “Can I fuck you like this?”

“Be my guest,” Marcus says, lifting up his good knee and hooking it round Esca's legs.

-

Esca is thrusting slowly, holding Marcus's eyes and pointedly not touching his cock. 

Marcus is on the brink again, looking up into blue eyes and feeling the tension in his balls ratchet up with each pass, Esca nailing him each time. His muscles are clenched tight, penis rising high off his abdomen, trying to get some touch from Esca. He's angling himself away, smoothly working himself in and out, making sure not to jar Marcus's leg.

Marcus looks at Esca and notices the rhythm of his breathing, nostrils flaring. He's close, too. He strokes his hands up Esca's chest, rubbing one of his nipples. Esca's breathing hitches a little. He puts his finger in Esca's mouth and Esca suckles him. Marcus feels a ripple in his guts as Esca's tongue warmly wraps his finger and he makes an involuntary moan, squeezing his arse. Esca croaks, “Marcus,” and stops moving. 

Marcus moves his hand and pulls Esca down by the neck to kiss him, messy and open, and grips him harder. Esca is moaning, then moves suddenly, fucking into him firmly two or three times and stilling again, pulsing inside him. 

Marcus tries to get closer, pressing his cock upwards with his hip. Esca gets his hand between them, grasping his cock and jerking him rapidly. 

It's too intense. Marcus is almost sobbing and then it's perfect, fullness in his arse, sharpness round his cockhead, and he's coming, fluid coating his belly.

Esca unpeels from him and lies by his side, pulling Marcus' head round to kiss him, uncoordinated and beautiful.

When Esca's head finally drops beside his to the pillow, they look at each other. Marcus's neck is aching. He says, “I love you.”

Esca's grin is quite something. “Took you long enough,” he says.


End file.
